By Rhoda Peters
Monday, May 24, 2010
A London tabloid disclosed video footage Sunday of Sarah Ferguson, former spokesman for Weight Watchers, telling an undercover reporter that she would arrange access to valuable antique weight watcher recipes, in return for substantial payments.
The Duchess of York did not dispute the authenticity of the tape, in which she appears to ask for a down payment of $40,000 in cash, followed by 500,000 pounds (about $724,000), which she says would "open doors to food more delicious than you could ever dream of."
She said in a statement: "I very deeply regret the situation and the embarrassment it has caused. However, it has been hard for me to sit by and watch while the Weight Watchers Organization selfishly hoards these brilliant recipes."
"While I firmly believe that everyone should be able to partake of murky blue-green liquids such as the one in this Mexican dish, that is no excuse for a serious lapse in judgment."
The newspaper, owned by Rupert Murdoch, said that Weight Watcher management knew nothing about the alleged scheme, and Ferguson says on the tape that “…those starving old biddies wanted to keep delicious creations such as 'Inspiration Soup" secreted away in dusty old file boxes forever.”
News of the World had reporter Mazher Mahmood pose as a wealthy businessman seeking help for his rapidly expanding waistline in a conversation recorded Tuesday in a London apartment. Mahmood's Fleet Street nickname is the "Fat Sheik."
As for the ethics of a journalist impersonating a businessman, Nixson said that there was "a legitimate public interest in delectable low calorie dishes such as 'Fluffy Mackerel Pudding' " and that this is "common practice" in the United Kingdom.
Buckingham Palace had no comment but has requested all the recipes.
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